Pierce Felt Support from Players' Campaign for Him
The Las Vegas Raiders have officially begun the Antonio Pierce-Tom Telesco era.
Owner Mark Davis introduced the new full-time head coach and general manager to the press on Wednesday.
These two hope to usher in a new era of Raiders football full of success. Pierce took over as interim coach midway through the 2023 season, and the results were impressive.
Because of the on-field success and how he won over the locker room, several Raiders players pushed for Pierce to be hired as the permanent head coach, including wide receiver Davante Adams and defensive end Maxx Crosby.
Pierce heard all the support and did not take it for granted. He spoke about what that support meant to him.
The Las Vegas Raiders pushed for Antonio Pierce to become the full-time head coach, and he felt the support.
Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports
“Yeah, there’s nothing like it,”Pierce said. “The reason the National Football League is the greatest sport in America is because of the players. Most of the time, when the players speak, we listen. When the players play, we watch. They did both this year.”
Pierce played eight years in the NFL, winning Super Bowl XLII with the New York Giants. He knows what it is like to be heard as a former player.
“To have that support, being a former player, to understand what it’s like, and now the way and the day of the age we’re in where your voice matters and you have a lot of platforms to do it," Pierce said. "You’ve just got to be careful. You love the support, but never take it too far.”
While the support was appreciated, Pierce is now focused on winning games and bringing a Lombardi Trophy to Las Vegas.
“But it was humbling," Pierce said. "It was a special moment, but it was even more special when you get the phone call from Mr. Davis that you’re the head coach of the Las Vegas Raiders.”
The Raiders have a coach in Pierce who the players will rally around and want to play for. It is up to Pierce to build off of the second half of last season and sustain it for years to come.
When a locker room believes in the vision of their head coach, the chemistry on the team will be sublime. That is what the Raiders have with Pierce and his players.
From February 27 to March 4, 2024, the NFL Scouting Combine will be held at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis, Ind.
The NFL Draft will be held in Detroit, Mich., on April 25-27, 2024. The Las Vegas Raiders currently hold the No. 13 overall pick.
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